PAY-IT-FORWARD - FIND OUT HOW

Khaled Al-Qazzaz, a Canadian-educated mechanical engineer, beloved husband, father, educator and mentor has been forcibly detained in Egypt without charge since July 3, 2013.

November 15, 2014 marked Khaled’s completion of 500 days in arbitrary detention, a period in which his voice has been effectively silenced.

Because Khaled has been imprisoned for the last 500 days, he has not been able to give charity, spread his positive message of hope, touch the lives of his former students, or give his love to his wife and children.

In the spirit of all the positive and charitable acts Khaled constantly did for those around him, Khaled’s friends have come together to pay forward Khaled’s kindness, generosity and dedication with random acts of kindness and generosity.

It only takes 5 easy steps:

a- choose an idea you want to do b- provide us with a quote as to why you are doing thisc- tweet or post on FB a message:d- connect with at least one person in your circle to let them know you have done a pay-it-forward and you would encourage them to do the same

I stand in support with Canada’s Sarah Attia and her four children, whose father Khaled Al-Qazzaz has been unlawfully kept prisoner in Egypt for over 500 days. As part of the #PayitForward4KQ initiative, I have <your act of kindness> to <who received your kindness>, in honor of Khaled's commitment to <the relationship to Khaled>.
I encourage others to pay-it-forward. Click here to find out how
#Gone500Days
#PayitForward4KQ

Pay-It-Forward Ideas

It is our hope that all of those touched by Khaled’s story, or those on the receiving end of the pay-it-forward initiatives will, in-turn, pay the kindness forward to someone else in celebration of Khaled’s legacy.

Some ideas to get involved:

- Dedicate X hours to a specific cause or research- Donation to a post secondary institute in a developing country- Donation to a children's foundation- Donation to a local/international hospital- Donation to a think tank that promotes an area of study you think is important- Donation to Amnesty or HRW to support human rights work (or any other advocacy group)- Donation to a university scholarship grant program

If you decide to implement any one of these idea or others please tweet and use hashtags #PayitForward4KQ and #500Days.

Background:

For months following his disappearance, his family did not know not anything about Khaled’s condition or whereabouts. In December of 2013, he was moved to the notorious Torah prison in Cairo, where he was held in solitary confinement in a prison cell no larger than a broom closet, without access to adequate amenities or medical care. Khaled’s health deteriorated and he is currently in hospital, awaiting a series of surgeries for a serious nerve condition that he developed from exposure to the harsh prison environment.

500 days have passed and he remains imprisoned without charge.

Among many human rights organizations, prominent lawyers and activists, both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been active in advocating for Khaled and calling for his immediate release. The United Nations working group on arbitrary detentions has also made it clear that his detention was in violation of Egyptian and International law.

Khaled, a University of Toronto alumnus, is husband to Canadian-born Sarah Attia, and four Canadian children (all under the age of 10). Since his teens, Khaled Al-Qazzaz has been a human rights activist, social reformer, and inspirational educator. He believes that the world can be a better place and has dedicated his life to this dream. With his extensive work in the Canadian community, he has touched the lives of many.

Building Awareness!

If you have been on the receiving end of any kind gestures, bring a smile to someone else’s face by paying it forward for Khaled Al-Qazzaz. Post your pictures, reflections and actions on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags: